


amplification, paraphrased

by i_dont_even_go_here_but (liggytheauthoress)



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: s04e24 Amplification, M/M, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-24 22:24:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17712764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liggytheauthoress/pseuds/i_dont_even_go_here_but
Summary: "Derek stares at the phone in his hand and clenches his jaw, knowing the call he’s about to make will be one of the most difficult of his life. But he has to make it. Luke has to know."Amplification, except this time Luke is already part of the team, and he and Derek are both dating Spencer.





	amplification, paraphrased

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> MAJOR DISCLAIMER: I do not watch Criminal Minds. I have literally never seen an episode of Criminal Minds in my life. This fic exists solely because I've been listening to one of my best friends fanperson about the show for over a month and I kind of got sucked into certain parts of it by association, one thing led to another...and I ended up offering to write them fic. Hence, this.
> 
> I make no guarantees about quality, accurate characterization, or canon compliance. My knowledge of this show is limited to fic I've read and what I've heard/seen from my friend, plus the few wiki pages I've glanced at. But hey, if you like stuff written by people with an extremely tenuous grasp of the subject matter, you're in the right place.

Derek stares at the phone in his hand and clenches his jaw, knowing the call he’s about to make will be one of the most difficult of his life. But he has to make it. Luke has to know.

_He deserves the chance to say goodbye_ , a treacherous voice at the back of Derek’s mind says, and he growls, pushing the thought away, and hits speed dial.

“Alvez.”

Derek wastes no time. “It’s Reid.”

There’s a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line, and the fear in Luke’s voice is audible when he asks, “What happened?”

“We went to the house. He went in ahead of me.” Derek desperately tries to ignore the self-reproach rising in his chest - he can beat himself up for this later, when Reid is...When it’s over. “He realized it was contaminated and locked the door behind him before I could get there.”

There’s a long string of Spanish curses, accompanied by the sound of keys jingling and Roxy barking, and then Luke’s strained voice. “I’m on my way.”

Derek gives him the address and hangs up, calling Spencer back immediately. _Stay with me, Pretty Boy_ , he thinks. _You’re not leaving us that easily_.

* * *

It was supposed to be Luke’s day off, and normally he’s grateful for those, but right now as his Jeep speeds towards Dr. Nichols’ house, he’s cursing that it had to be _today_  because if he’d _been there_ …

He’s trying not to blame Derek. He knows the other agent is probably berating himself enough for the both of them, because that’s exactly what Luke would be doing in his place.

The only thing that matters right now is that they’re both there for Spencer.

Luke screeches to a halt outside the crime scene, just barely remembering to take the keys out of the ignition, and scans the area for Derek.

* * *

Derek doesn’t need to look to know who the person who just came to stand beside him is. “Hey, Pretty Boy,” he says into the phone before putting it on speaker, “look out the window.”

“Is he still _in there?_ ” Luke demands, grabbing Derek’s forearm, and normally the unspoken accusation in the other man’s voice would irritate Derek, but he can’t exactly blame Luke right now. Luke is scared.

They both are.

“I wanted to pull him out,” Derek says. “Hotch said no.”

Spencer’s voice comes over the phone, and they both tense at how shaky he sounds. “I told you,” he says, sounding mildly annoyed, “I can accomplish more in here looking for answers than I can in a hospital bed.”

Derek knows that, he does, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting to barge in there and physically drag Spencer out if he has to - and if Luke’s body language is anything to go by, the other man is feeling the exact same way.

* * *

“Come on, kid. I know you’re not thinking straight, but the Reid we know wouldn’t stop looking.”

“You can do this, Spence,” Luke adds softly, hoping their voices are enough to keep Spencer going. It’s agonizing, being stuck out here, unable to hold the genius or touch him in any way, and Luke leans against Derek in search of physical comfort.

Derek wraps an arm around his shoulders as they try to talk Spencer through it, and despite everything, Luke can’t help feeling a surge of pride when their boyfriend finally makes the connection they’ve all been hoping for.

* * *

God knows they’ve both seen Spencer in varying states of undress hundreds of times, but both Derek and Luke understand the unspoken message - _I don’t want you to see me like this right now_ \- and reluctantly walk to the edge of the crime scene.

“One of us should go with him in the ambulance,” Derek says, trying to resist the urge to run back, just to make sure...

Luke inclines his head towards him. “Go. Get Brown. I’ll stay with him.”

Derek clenches his jaw, knowing he’ll be more useful helping Hotch than here, but not wanting to leave Spencer like this. “You call me if-”

“I will.” A pause, and then Luke pulls Derek into a tight hug. “He’ll be okay.”

Derek takes a moment to lose himself in the embrace. It feels unbalanced without Spencer there between them, but it’s still infinitely comforting. And if there’s anyone in this world he trusts with Spencer, it’s Luke.

“Go get ‘em,” Luke says as they pull apart, clapping Derek on the shoulder.

For a moment, they just stare at each other, not needing to use actual words to communicate what they’re both thinking right now.

_Take care of him._

_I will._

Derek nods once, purposefully, and walks away, hellbent on tracking down the bastard responsible for doing this to Spencer.

* * *

The ambulance ride is one of the scariest trips of Luke’s life.

One second Spencer seems mostly lucid, talking to him and Dr. Kimura, and the next he’s speaking gibberish before slumping down with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, and then he stops _fucking breathing_ …

Luke can’t even do anything while the others rush to stabilize his boyfriend, can only sit there watching helplessly, terror building up in his chest until he’s barely breathing himself.

_Don’t you fucking do this to us, Spencer_ , he thinks. _We can’t lose you, baby_.

When Spencer finally starts breathing again, Luke takes a few moments to pray to God and to every saint he can remember that he _keeps_ breathing.

Then he calls Derek.

* * *

When Luke calls to tell him Spencer’s worse, that he went into respiratory distress, it takes every ounce of Derek’s self-control not to leave immediately.

And if he’s a little rougher with Brown when they catch him than he really needs to be, Hotch doesn’t say anything about it.

* * *

Luke doesn’t look up from where his hand is wrapped around Spencer’s when he hears the door open, recognizing Derek’s presence immediately. “How’s he doing?”

“Stable,” Luke says quietly, not bothering to hide the pure relief in his voice. “They said it might be a while before he wakes up, but...he’ll be okay.”

Derek exhales roughly, not so much sitting as collapsing into the chair on the other side of Spencer’s hospital bed. Luke doesn’t blame him.

“Brown?”

“We got him.” Derek takes Spencer’s other hand in his own, mirroring Luke’s position, and adds, “Didn’t get to hit him like I wanted, but we got him.”

Luke can’t help giving a weak chuckle. “I feel that.” He watches Derek place a kiss to Spencer’s knuckles, the same way Luke had earlier when he and Spencer had gotten settled in the room.

“You gotta stop doing this to us, Pretty Boy,” Derek murmurs, and Luke couldn’t fucking agree more. He knows what they do is dangerous, that they all put their lives on the line every day, but every time something like this happens - and it seems like Spencer is almost always the one it happens to - it takes about ten years off both his and Derek’s life.

He’s reluctant to leave Spencer’s side, but he’s gotten time alone with the genius and Derek hasn’t, so Luke stands and asks, “I’m gonna make a run to the commissary. You want anything?”

Derek doesn’t tear his eyes away from Spencer’s face, but there’s a slight smile on his face when he answers, “See if they’ve got any Jello, yeah?”


End file.
